someone has started a blog with the same name as mine
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I have just noticed that someone has the same blog name as mine, with one difference in the URL, i.e. mine is notesfromthemiddle.wordpress.com and the other is http://notesfromthemiddle.com, but is on wordpress. I started mine in Jan 2008 and this one started Nov 2013. Is this allowed?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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I’m afraid that’s allowed, yes. WordPress.com can’t control what domain names other people register.
I doubt it’s done with bad intent though, and I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
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thanks senff. guess some people just don’t do their research, or have little imagination.
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No, in fact the other site does not have the same name as you have.
http://notesfromthemiddledotcom.wordpress.com/ paid for a domain mapping upgrade. The underlying site has a different name from your site http://notesfromthemiddle.wordpress.comUnfortunately the other wp.com user now owns that domain name. The name was available to purchase, so it’s legal.
You will have to add some imagination to purchase an upgrade domain name, or just be content with the wordpress.com extension on the blog you currently have. Maybe buy thenotesfromthemiddle.com or notesfromthemiddle.net or one of the other options…
I worked for many years for a non-profit. We had a name ending in .org. Then someone bought the same name ending in .com. We’d get emails from their dissatisfied customers who didn’t notice the different names. Even WordPress.COM and WordPress.ORG are confusing. Folks don’t always read details so there will be problems. Oy oy oy!!
We (the non-profit) also bought names with “the” included and there was still confusion…
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They are not trying to impersonate you – looks like a school / Education based blog
They bought a custom domain name and mapped it to a blog here.
If you had an international copyright on the name or they were trying to copy or impersonate you then you would have some legal standing to file a complaint or lawsuit, but if you had a copyright then you probably would have bought the custom domain name as part of your branding –
They might not have even looked at your blog name – and if they did – domain mapping it covers up the base blog name
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For the sake of accuracy it’s international trademark, not copyright. :)
And domain mapping doesn’t affect the URL for media, which will still show the underlying WPcom address.
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Even just looking at the source code shows the underlying wp.com address.
As for trademarks, that’s as confusing as the legal dispute between domino’s pizza and domino sugar… all well far above most of what we wp bloggers will engage in.
As for .com .net .org and the others, as well as for the word “the”
my experience shows that people just don’t read details. -
Thanks for the comments everyone. I figured when I saw the difference in the url (wp.com vs .com) that the other site had purchased that name. I am just a minor blogger, and because the other is an educational site, I hope confusion doesn’t ensue, but not likely. I was curious about how much overlap could occur and it seems that it doesn’t really matter. One is essentially free to use anything, and people won’t necessarily look at the extension. I can imagine how much difficulty it could create for businesses.
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You should be fine. Just keep writing original posts and using appropriate tags and categories. Folks should keep finding your site by way of the topics you write about.
There are some great blogging tips here (and the whole site as well~~timethief’s site is full of information!)
http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2009/01/15/twenty-five-steps-to-increase-blog-traffic/ -
…I can imagine how much difficulty it could create for businesses.
Yes, but don’t get me started on phone books!! Lots of our clients would not use the internet because they preferred using the phone for information. AT&T refused to change the listing: “The” BUSINESS-NAME made it difficult for them to locate our phone contact number. Who lists alphabetically including “the”??? That is just crazy!!!
Sorry, I’m just sort of ranting and it doesn’t really concern you at all but in a way it is another stupid LOL sort of problem we all come across.
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